A happy Christmas for Sturgeon as SNP ride high in the polls

The SNP go into Christmas backed by a record proportion of supporters.

The SNP go into Christmas backed by a record proportion of supporters

The SNP are celebrating an early Christmas present today with news that they now have a record breaking proportion of voters supporting them.

According to new polling conducted by Survation for the Daily Record, when asked how they would vote in next May’s General Election 48 per cent said the SNP, up 2 percentage points since November and up from the 20 per cent of the vote it secured in 2010.

Scottish Labour meanwhile remains on 24 per cent, down by 18 percentage points on their performance in 2010.

The Conservatives are down one point on their performance in November at 16 per cent, the Lib Dems are down one on 5 per cent whilst UKIP and the Greens are on 5 per cent and 1 per cent respectively.

According to the Electoral Calculus website, if replicated in May this would leave Labour loosing 37 seats, reduced to just four, whilst the SNP would land themselves 54 seats in the House of Commons, 48 more than they have at present. The Lib Dems would have just one seat north of the border.

Meanwhile following his election as Leader, Survation asked voters about what impact Jim Murphy would have had the helm of Scottish Labour. Whilst 14 per cent said that it would make them more likely to vote Labour, 18 per cent said it would make them less likely to do so. 57 per cent said it would make no difference at all.

A quarter of those polled  said that Labour would be more successful in Scotland under Murphy’s leadership, compared to 16 per cent who didn’t think it would turn the party’s fortunes around.

Responding to the polling, Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University commented:

“Murphy is not the magic bullet. It is going to require more than a new kid on the block – he has to persuade people that May is not a re-run of the referendum.”

The survey data will make for an uncomfortable Christmas for Labour. Already faced with a difficult electoral climate next May, the prospect looks ever more likely of Ed Miliband being kept in Downing Street thanks to the support of the SNP.

With Alex Salmond hinting heavily that SNP MPs might be prepared to drop the convention that stops them voting on English-only matters, a future Miliband administration risks tearing the country apart as English voters become increasingly  incensed that Scottish MPs are imposing their agenda on the rest of the country.

Ed Jacobs is a contributing editor to Left Foot Forward

62 Responses to “A happy Christmas for Sturgeon as SNP ride high in the polls”

  1. Guest

    What a way to attack Scotland!

  2. Leon Wolfeson

    Keep making it up for yourself, as you attack the basis of the Union and talk about your existing and unchanged anti-British views.

  3. Guest

    Yes, I’m sure you’re gloating, as you say that morals are bullshit, but still better than your unseemly self.

  4. madasafish

    More imbecilic rubbish from you…

    Are you drunk or on drugs ? Or is it withdrawal? Reads like all three. Not much else could explain your posts except being embittered, unloved and unwanted.

  5. swat

    Mark Fergusson on LabourList thinks Labour is targetting Cleggs seat of Sheffield Hallam.
    Decaptation is the name of the game; but I would caution Labour that if that were to happen then we’re likely to get someone worse than Clegg. This decapitation strategy could well be adpopted by other Parties. UKIP have already parked their tanks on Doncaster’s lawns.
    And I guess they’ve got their sights on Camerons seat too.
    Somtiimes I believe these strategy wonks are too clever by half and will end up shooting themselves in the foot.

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